We tested £5 perfume dupes to see how they match luxury scents
With the holiday party season in full swing, smelling sweet is a top priority.
More than a third of us have put perfume on our Christmas wishlist, but with some designer brands costing more than £100, some fragrances are well out of reach for many of us.
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Could cheap perfume dupes be the answer?
With a huge range available on the high street at a fraction of the price of top brands, Fab has put some of the most affordable alternatives to the test.
But how did they fare when it came to long-term wear?
And do they really smell just like the original designer products they mimic?
Emma Lazenby picks out the best dupes, reveals which ones are worth your time and rates them all out of five.
Midnight Blossom 30ml, M&S, £6 vs Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium 30ml, £79
SAVING: £73
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IF there was ever a winter evening scent that was as warm as it was luxurious, I think Midnight Blossom from M&S ranks up there.
It’s perfect for the festive season and smells noticeably of YSL’s Black Opium.
With its musky, velvety notes and subtle floral undertones, it holds its own against its designer rival.
The simple purple packaging is cute and gives Parma violet vibes, but as it looks quite basic I would put it in the stocking stuffer category, rather than the main gift.
That said, Midnight Blossom may be the perfect perfume gift for yourself.
Granted, Black Opium was still potent after eight hours of wear. But the winter scent of M&S was not far away. My wrist still smelled wonderful well into the afternoon – if a little faint.
5/5
Suddenly Femelle 75ml, Lidl, £5.25 vs Lancome La Vie Est Belle 75ml, £105
SAVING: £99.75
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LIDL’S Suddenly Femelle fragrance bears a striking resemblance to the vanilla, iris and patchouli notes of Lancome’s La Vie Est Belle.
It is a warm scent and looks very expensive with its apothecary bottle and is beautiful pink packaging.
It’s one of the cheapest of the bunch and packs a surprising punch.
If you’re looking for a cozy, wintery scent, Suddenly Femelle might be the perfect choice for you.
It has a hint of maturity, which adds to the classic scent feel, but if long-term wear is one of your perfume priorities, it unfortunately falls short.
After three hours there were still subtle hints, but it’s another dupe that needs regular respraying.
That said, it’s a great scent that would make a nice gift for older friends and family members.
3/5
Lacura Radiant Majesty 100ml, Aldi, £6.99 vs Burberry Goddess 100ml, £135
SAVING: £128.01
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ALDI’s Lacura perfume range is on fire this year, receiving rave reviews for their designer dupes.
The Burberry Goddess copycat certainly looks expensive.
The pretty pink and gold packaging and sturdy glass bottle look stylish on any dressing table.
It is slightly sweeter than the Burberry original, with notes of vanilla, ginger, cocoa and lavender, but this is the only noticeable difference when you spray both scents.
It smells incredibly similar, with some TikTok fragrance fans even saying they prefer Radiant Majesty to the real deal at £135 a bottle.
But in our ‘wearing length’ test, Aldi’s offering unfortunately falls short: after just three and a half hours, there is barely a whiff left.
In contrast, Burberry Goddess still smelled strong at 10pm after a 9am spritz. But with a price difference of £128, it’s cheaper to top up all day with Aldi’s dupe.
3/5
Lacura Floral Love 100ml, Aldi, £5.99 vs Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb 100ml, £130
SAVING: £124.01
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THIS Aldi fragrance has a beautiful diamond-inspired bottle that you would be proud to put in your handbag.
It looks expensive and just as beautiful as the designer’s original.
In terms of scent it is very similar to the Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf.
I would say Aldi’s Floral Love is a little heavier, so I had high hopes for its longevity.
Unfortunately, the spray on my wrist didn’t hold its scent for long and faded quickly after three hours. But with its affordable price tag, beautiful bottle and floral displays, I think we can forgive the lack of staying power current.
4/5
Cashmere 30ml, Next, £10 vs Estee Lauder Sensuous 30ml, £35
SAVING: £25
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WITH the smallest price difference between dupe and designer, let’s not do Next’s Cashmere a disservice. The similarity to the Estee Lauder classic is pretty damn good.
And if you like a softer, subtle scent that you can wear all year round, then Next’s Cashmere is the perfect perfume.
It’s floral yet woody and could make a great gift for someone who isn’t a “perfume person.”
And as far as longevity goes, four hours later it held up – just.
Although Estee Lauder’s Sensuous smelled strong after ten hours, when I weigh the similarity of the two, I’m not sure it’s worth the extra cost.
4/5
Red Temptation 30ml, Zara, £12.99 vs Baccarat Rouge 540 35ml, £155
SAVING: £142.01
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Moving on to the slightly more expensive high street perfumes, Zara’s Red Temptation is currently hard to get your hands on (more stock coming soon) and for good reason.
It has a cult following on social media due to its remarkable similarity to Baccarat Rouge 540.
Red Temptation is just as intoxicating as its very pricey designer counterpart, with its spicy combination of saffron, bitter orange and coriander.
It’s a classic scent that’s not for the faint of heart, but if you like spicy occasion perfumes then this is for you.
It is also one of the strongest competitors when it comes to wear time. While the Baccarat Rouge 540 lasted a whole day, Red Temptation still held up after five hours.
And the price difference is staggering.
5/5
Wonder Rose 30ml, Zara, £9.99 vs Dior J’Adore 35ml, £115
SAVING: £105.01
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WE can all channel our inner Rihanna with Zara’s Wonder Rose, which is very similar to the Dior superstar classic, albeit not quite as heavy.
It’s a big hit with the teens, and rightly so. It’s wonderfully floral, but it also manages to be quite light, meaning we’re not heading into headache territory.
Wonder Rose combines fruitiness with flowers, coconut and vanilla. It’s beautiful. And that certainly works during the holidays. With its mid-range price tag and cool packaging, it would make a great gift.
Yes, we’re seeing a pattern emerging when it comes to wear time, with Dior’s J’Adore lasting well over nine hours. But Zara’s offering is quite strong and I could still smell it after more than four hours.
With the savings over its designer equivalent it’s quite impressive.
4.5/5
PRONUNCIATION
WE can all channel our inner Rihanna with Zara’s Wonder Rose, which is very similar to the Dior superstar classic, albeit not quite as heavy.
It’s a big hit with the teens, and rightly so. It’s wonderfully floral, but it also manages to be quite light – meaning we’re not heading into headache territory.
Wonder Rose combines fruitiness with flowers, coconut and vanilla. It’s beautiful. And that certainly works during the holidays. With its mid-range price tag and cool packaging, it would make a great gift.
Yes, we’re seeing a pattern emerging when it comes to wear time, with Dior’s J’Adore lasting well over nine hours. But Zara’s offering is quite strong and I could still smell it after more than four hours.
With the savings over its designer equivalent it’s quite impressive.
